13. Bale-Valle Armonica International Music Festival 2024
This year, the 13th edition of the musical event "International Music Festival Valle Armonica 2024" was officially inaugurated on Saturday, June 29th, in Piazza Tomaso Bembo in Valle with a performance by the Gorizia Guitar Orchestra, conducted by Claudio Pio Liviero, the artistic director of the event. The soloists were Maria Francesca Arcidiacono and Ricardo Bertossa. The concert of this guitar ensemble offers the public a unique program that combines classical and modern music.
"The festival is in its thirteenth edition this year, and in previous editions, we have always offered high-level concerts featuring illustrious musicians from the international and national music scene. In our concert programs, we have presented our audience with a wide selection of composers and musical works, from classical to modern music, because we always want to meet the needs and tastes of our attentive audience. The audience that visits the beautiful Bale/Valle and its charming streets and squares during summer evenings," says the artistic director of the event, Claudio Pio Liviero. He explains that although the Festival started as a concert program, in previous editions it managed to connect different forms of art, magnificently combining musical performances with painting encounters and collective art exhibitions in Bale/Valle. While in the early editions, the Festival was dedicated solely to classical guitar, over time, the program included performances by musicians playing other instruments and concerts by various ensembles, and the "International Music Festival of Bale-Valle Armonica" has become a respectable musical and art festival.
"We are particularly proud that the organizers of the prestigious International Guitar Festival "Altamira Guitar Competition - Enrico Mercatali Prize," which takes place in May in Gorizia, Italy, decided eight years ago to organize an international music competition in Bale/Valle as part of the International Music Festival Armonica. Originally, it was a competition open only to classical guitar, but over time it has also included other musical instruments, and this year it is in its eighth edition. As part of the International Classical Guitar Competition, the prestigious Chinese multinational "Altamira Guitars" has become the main sponsor of the competition, and some of the best guitars from this prestigious company have been included in the competition's prize pool," says Maestro Claudio Pio Liviero.
On Sunday, June 30th, the young and talented guitarist Riccardo Bertossa performed on the festival stage, with a rich program ranging from ancient music to Spanish music, including the famous "Tango en Sky" by composer Roland Dyens. On Monday, July 1st, the festival's guest was the talented harpist Paola Gregoric, while on Tuesday, July 2nd, the Crisalide Duo, composed of Maria Francesca Arcidiacono (guitar) and Mario Milosa (guitar and voice), performed. This duo took the audience on a sentimental journey through 18th and 19th century Naples, performing some of the most beautiful Neapolitan songs.
On Wednesday, July 3rd, a very original trio of musicians took the audience on a musical journey through Europe with bagpipes and other lesser-known traditional instruments, presenting popular music as well as more modern experiments. On Thursday, July 4th, the young and talented guitarist Davide Mascia, winner of the 21st edition of the International Guitar Competition "Altamira Gorizia - Enrico Mercatali Prize 2024," performed. On Friday, July 5th, the stage was reserved for the exceptional Bulgarian guitarist David Dyakov, who performed solo in the first part of the concert, and in the second part with the support of a reduced composition of the Gorizia Guitar Orchestra. Special guest of the evening and the festival was the mayor of Gorizia, Dr. Rodolfo Ziberna. On Saturday, July 6th, Petar Čulić also sang songs in Croatian and English.
The 13th Altamira International "Bale-Valle Armonica" Guitar Festival and Competition 2024 concluded on Sunday, July 6th, in front of a large audience. The public had the opportunity to vote, selecting three contestants: Sara Ceraldo, Sanel Jusić, and Maja Kralj.
The victory of the expert jury went to Sara Ceraldo, who received an Altamira guitar as a prize. She was also given the opportunity to perform next year at the 14th Bale-Valle Armonica Festival.
The audience award was won by Sanel Jusić.
